n. & v.
n. 1 a sticky plastic yellowish substance secreted by bees as the material of honeycomb cells; beeswax. 2 a white translucent material obtained from this by bleaching and purifying and used for candles, in modelling, as a basis of polishes, and for other purposes. 3 any similar substance, e.g. earwax. 4 colloq. a a gramophone record. b material for the manufacture of this. 5 (attrib.) made of wax.
v.tr. 1 cover or treat with wax. 2 colloq. record for the gramophone. be wax in a person's hands be entirely subservient to a person. lost wax = CIRE PERDUE. wax-light a taper or candle of wax. wax-myrtle a tree, Myrtus cerifera, yielding wax and oil used for candles. wax-painting = ENCAUSTIC. wax palm 1 a South American palm, Ceroxylon alpinum, with its stem coated in a mixture of resin and wax. 2 a carnauba. wax paper paper waterproofed with a layer of wax. wax-pod a yellow-podded bean. wax-tree an Asian tree, Rhus succedanea, having white berries which yield wax. waxer n.
[ OE wx, weax f. Gmc ]